THE Central may be packed with Japanese eateries, but those not keen on Nippon fare need not go hungry either.

There is the Kopi Tiam foodcourt on level four, but what's more enticing is the two-month-old Tung Lok Signatures on level two.

This is the new main bearer of the Tung Lok name after the restaurant group's old mainstay Tung Lok Restaurant in nearby Liang Court closed at the end of May to make way for the overhaul of the building.

But it is not a mere reproduction of the old restaurant. Where the latter was an old-fashioned eatery emphasising expensive Chinese delicacies like shark's fin, the new restaurant is a modern, more moderately priced affair that would appeal to both executives and families.

If the name Tung Lok Signatures sounds familiar, that is because there is already one in VivoCity which opened in November last year.

The new place shares the same a la carte menu as the other restaurant, which is a composite of dishes culled from other restaurants under the group, including Noble House, Paramount and House of Hunan.

But it has its differences. The most obvious is in the interior design. While the VivoCity outlet is outfitted with ultra-modern, dazzling white furniture, the new place is more sober - and more boring - in shades of brown.

There are differences in the food, too. Each month, the restaurant features a selection of about 10 chef's specials which you do not find in the other restaurant.

And if you are a regular and remember a particular dish from a past month's specials, you can also order it if the ingredients are available in the kitchen.

One of the dishes you should commit to memory is a very interesting one called crisp-fried 'sea banana' stuffed with diced abalone and shrimp paste ($18.80 per person).

The 'sea banana' is actually a sea cucumber which has been deep-fried, a most unusual way of cooking it. The bland sea cucumber is usually braised and served with a thick brown sauce to give it flavour.

Here, the flavour comes from the abalone and shrimp paste stuffing, and the deep-frying adds a pleasant aroma to the sea cucumber. It also gives its firm gelatinous texture a slight crisp.

Another dish given an interesting twist is the lion head with crabmeat ($8.80 per piece). The fatty pork ball, which is usually braised, is also deep-fried here - giving it a totally different fragrance from the usual version. It's not necessarily better but would go down well with those who like fried food.

Another unusual dish is the steamed mini earthern bowl of rice with bamboo clam combined with poached xiao long bao ($9.80 per person).

The various ingredients make strange bedfellows, though. The flavours of the clams are too delicate for the rice, but the xiao long bao (soup dumpling) is pretty good.

Incidentally, on a separate visit, the dish comes with a jiao zhi (meat dumpling) instead of a xiao long bao, but the rest of the dish is the same. The xiao long bao is better.

While you check out the unusual chef's specials, however, do not forget to take a look at the main menu too.

The soups here are great, and you should start your meal with an order of roast pork belly ($9).

It is flawless, with alternate layers of fat and lean meat topped by an incredibly crispy skin. Definitely one of the best you can find in Singapore.

TUNG LOK SIGNATURES (THE CENTRAL)
6 Eu Tong Sen Street 02-88
Tel: 6336-6022
Open: 11.30am to 3pm, 6 to 10.30pm
Food: ****
Service: *** 1/2
Ambience: *** 1/2
Price: Budget from $50 per person

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